LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
Donald and Dorothy McGee of Paris are happy to announce their 65th anniversary. The public is invited to a reception to honor them from 1 - 3 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 24 in the fellowship hall of First Christian Church, 201 South Main Street, Paris.
Donald McGree of Chester, Ill., and Dorothy Jackson of Paris, Ill., met at Southern Illinois University. They married on Saturday, Aug. 22, 1959, at the Second Baptist Church of Paris. They were blessed with two children, Donna McGee-Johnson (Andrea Johnson) of Paris and Michael of Winfield, Ill.
Don started his teaching and coaching career during the 1959-60 school year in Cairo. He worked for the rest of his impressive career in the greater Chicago metropolitan area, succeeding while teaching and coaching in the south and western suburbs. He was eventually recruited for coaching jobs at Division One colleges, but he stayed at the high school level because he loved teaching math and coaching young people.
His greatest professional success was leading the Wheaton Central Tigers to fourth place in the 1981 Illinois High School Association, Class AA State Tournament. Don’s contribution to basketball has been recognized by induction into the Illinois Basketball Coach Association Hall of Fame, the Chester Yellowjacket Hall of Fame, the Wheaton-Warrenville South Hall of Fame and the Thornton Township High School Hall of Fame.
Dorothy was always his best cheerleader and sounding board. While supporting her coach and raising their family, she found time to teach classes that taught adults how to prepare, use and read IBM punch cards. While a young mother, Dorothy also worked at the local park district. Some of the teens she worked with there were also in Don’s math classes. They formed lifelong bonds, and some have even come to Paris to visit “The Coach” and Mrs. McGee.
During tense situations in basketball games, Dorothy was often found doing needlework or knitting. She also dedicated many time outs and halftimes to planning her next project, making drawings and notes in the notepads she always carried with her.
Dorothy leveraged her extensive artisan experience to teach needle arts while selling needlecraft kits. She is also an accomplished quilter, seamstress and knitter and has proved herself more than capable in countless other crafts.
Don and Dorothy enjoy traveling and have visited most of the U.S. and many Canadian provinces. Their favorite way to spend time is visiting with their three amazing, fascinating, accomplished grandchildren Michael McGee, Junior, Hannah McGee and Spencer McGee. They also treasure visits with their nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, and great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews.
The couple likes trying new restaurants and returning to familiar ones with their friends. Don still looks forward to going to SIU and University of Illinois basketball games and likes to attend activities with the First Christian Church Men’s group. Dorothy is also quite active in their church and has fun on outings with her Paris High School classmates.
The McGees attribute their many happy years together to the motto, Love, Honor and Negotiate.